Those magical moments are each moment,
breath by breath,
when the heart looses its protection and is open territory.
Today it was walking on the streets through the village of Tiruvannamalai. I noticed an older man sitting on the pavement, wearing a dhoti (a single cloth wrapped around the waist) leaning against a wall concentrating on his work repairing shoes. Slowly he drew a threaded needle through the sole of a shoe.
Street Shoe Repair, Tiruvannamalai, South India
He was so focused on what he was doing he did not notice me until I was standing right in front of him. Then seeing the camera, he became self-conscious until I motioned for him just to continue what he was doing. I took a couple of shots and showed him one.
He lit up!
For the next few moments I stood in the high-beam of his humble heart. Love ran from his being like a river overflowing its banks. His smile broke into sunshine, and when I turned to continue on my way, he silently blew me a kiss.
I blew one back and for a moment…
our airborne kisses traveled round the planet blowing away all suffering.
Humble Street Shoe Repair Man, Tiruvannamalai, South India
What a beautiful experience, love and respect really does transcend the human condition. 😀
Thank you for capturing in words the fact that intimacy occurs in silence and no time. Heart meets heart, beyond language, culture, place. India is still in my heart after 40+ years. Only there for six weeks but I remember as if it were yesterday. Namaste, Alia
Thanks Alia! Yes, so true ay, the intimacy, that timeless meeting of what we are……India has changed much in 40 years, still, that humble heart shines. Always feels like a great blessing especially to see that walking down the street through a very poor village. in peace….kai
Yes, I’m sure the villages have not changed so much as the cities. When I was there at the end of 1971, Delhi had just received its first televisions. People were gathering from blocks around to watch one, just like Americans did in the late 40s and early 50s. Such a change in so little time. I enjoy your updates of both the old and the new very much, Alia
Alia, rarely to I mention, but if you are at all interested, I interviewed over 40 people here and it is in eBook form, called India Bites You Somehow, you can take a peek at Amazon. Am starting again to sit down with different people, Indians too this time and collect their stories. So amazing this human experience! Cheers! Kai
Absolutely love this pic and your account. Brought back many memories. I used to walk a lot back then and frequently used to break my chappals and people like him would come to my rescue. Thank you, Dhanyavaad.
PS: Thank you for your comment on my blog, I was touched.
Reblogged this on Simon Sundaraj-Keun.
The other “stuff” is only on the surface – the Heart lives and is alive in India! I saw that you had visited my blog just as i am in the middle of a post on Ramana’s Verse 1 of his 40 Verses on Reality. I’ll post it later today. Across on the other side of this beautiful Planet we are connected from the Heart!
Namaste, Dear Kai and Chris!
with Deep Peace,
Tomas
Absolutely! So beautiful…..feel your heart, being…..if you are at all interested in India stories, I interviewed over 40 western people in Tiruvannamalai. You can find their heart-full, true stories in the ebook “India Bites You Somehow” at Amazon. I don’t mean to give a plug on your site, have never even advertised at all (maybe mention one day on my blog) but just thought you might enjoy Tomas. All the best….glad to share the blogging world with you!
Will definitely read the post on Ramana. I sit in Skandashram where he lived most days. shanti…..kai
Thanks, Kai – for mentioning your ebook. I also sat in Skandashram most days I was there.
Shanti Om – tomas
Reblogged this on heartflow2013 and commented:
Wow! Peace in Action! Love in Action!
This is the special thing about India and what draws us back and back and back.
Absolutely true! Despite all the other stuff……! xx….